Resolve
by StarkBlack
Summary: Another Memories side fic. A short story about defeat, and how it can make you stronger.


The second in my transition into the "Memories" sequel. The first is "Heaven Can Wait". I plan on doing one more, (a Kidd/Law if you're interested) and then the sequel will commence. Hope you like this one. I wanted to do something a little different than what turned out, but I think it works fine. :)

**Resolve**

Ace sat on one of the bar stools in Sanji and Zoro's kitchen. His brother, Luffy, and his friends, Chopper and Usopp, filled the other seats quietly sipping on coffee or sodas and speaking in low, quiet tones. In the other room, Nami and Vivi sat watching television with the volume down to almost nothing.

The atmosphere was tense enough that it saturated the air around them. Ace's t-shirt clung to the skin of his back, his fingers twitched over his lighter, snapping the lid on and off. The metal 'click' echoed over and over in the high ceilinged room.

The front door opened, and as one, all heads turned expectantly as Sanji entered the kitchen. He brushed past Luffy, hefting a bag of groceries onto the island top and opened the fridge.

"Feels like someone died," the cook snarked as he started pulling ingredients out of the crisp drawers.

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. "How can you be so nonchalant?"

Sanji turned around and waved a bundle of asparagus. "How can you guys be so upset?"

Usopp leaned forward, his eyes wide and frightened. "How can we _not_ be upset, Sanji? This is his goal! It's everything to him, and he-"

Sanji silenced him with a look. The young engineer bit his lip and deflated in his seat.

"Don't assume his dream is everything to him," Sanji said, his voice was quiet but severe. "Us—_we_ are everything to him."

"But, Sanji," Chopper's voice wavered, "he's been in there since he got home. You haven't seen him! He's like a monster! What are we supposed to do? Is he going to be okay?"

Sanji nodded. "Of course he'll be okay."

All eyes turned to Ace as if they all believed Sanji had abandoned them, and being the eldest, Ace had all the answers. Unfortunately, Ace was just as lost as everyone else. Ace had believed Sanji would fix things. He had believed that once Sanji came through that door, the feisty blond would either storm into the dojo and beat the living shit out of their current problem or, at the very least, settle the situation with soft words and gentle caresses.

However, the damn cook was doing neither of those things.

"So, what are you going to do, Sanji?" Nami's voice broke the quiet. Ace turned to see the red head leaning against the doorway to the living room. Vivi stood beside her giving Ace a loving, yet apprehensive look.

Sanji turned from washing the asparagus and gave the girls a charming smile. "I, my lovely ladies, am going to finish washing the veggies, and then I'm going to take him some water and ask if he wants the potatoes steamed or baked."

Luffy's laugh was thunderous at it echoed through the room, but Usopp's eyes bugged out of his head.

"_What!_" the engineer screeched. "Are you serious! He'll kill you!"

Sanji laughed and turned off the sink. He dried his hands on a towel and opened the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water and headed around the island and through the dining room. Ace jumped off his seat, putting up his hands as Luffy and Chopper started to follow.

"Wait, wait," he said, stopping his friends in their tracks. "I'll go make sure he doesn't attack Sanji. You guys stay here." Luffy stared at him a moment, but then shrugged his shoulders and went back to snacking on leftover turkey slices. Chopper gave Ace one last watery look and trudged back to his seat.

The dojo was dark as Ace stepped over the threshold. He watched as Sanji toed off his shoes and socks and made his way across the wooden floor. The cook opened the bottle of water and took a lazy swallow as his slow swagger brought him to the corner windows.

Zoro sat before the nighttime view of the city, his most precious sword resting on his folded legs. Sweat ran from his neck and down his back; the heavy sheen on his skin glowed from a thousand Seattle lights.

Sanji moved between Zoro and the windows and lowered himself to a seated position directly in front of the swordsman's latent feet. He stretched out his own legs on either side and handed the water bottle over.

Zoro accepted it with a quiet "thank you".

Ace leaned against the wall, fascinated at Sanji's boldness, but also touched at the easy way his two best friends communicated. He watched Sanji raise an arm and pull his side into a long stretch.

"So," the cook said into his knee, "what did you learn?"

Zoro took a swallow of the water and cracked his neck slowly.

"He's still so much stronger than me… he can still block my advances with one arm."

"Yeah?" Sanji switched sides. "Even with that damn claymore?"

Zoro nodded.

Sanji reached out his hands and clasped them with Zoro's. The swordsman pulled the cook forward into a painful looking position, but Sanji continued talking through the stretch. "How about that footing we were talking about? I saw him do that feign left thing. Did you see it?"

Zoro nodded again. "It's crazy how fast he can set up for the next attack. I can't see what he's doing sometimes. He gives no tells from his hips, his shoulders, anything."

Sanji pulled his legs in and crossed them. He scooted close so that his knees were touching Zoro's and smiled. "You looked really awesome out there, you know."

Zoro shrugged. "I still lost."

"I'm so proud of you," the cook said softly.

"I'll beat him soon," Zoro replied, "I swear."

Sanji reached out a hand and ran his fingers down Zoro's cheeks. "I know you will."

The swordsman covered Sanji's hand with his own, and Ace turned to exit the dojo. He knew that Zoro was taken care of and loved completely, but his heart swelled every time he saw the proof firsthand. The older Portgus returned to the kitchen and sat back down in his seat. He took his half empty cup of coffee from the counter top and took a small sip.

A chuckle from across the island made him raise his eyes. He caught his brother's gaze. Luffy was grinning at him around a mouthful of pilfered salami.

"S-s-so?" Usopp's voice was small and unsteady.

Ace took a moment to look at everyone in the room before he smiled and took another sip of his coffee.

"Zoro's gonna be fine."

**END**


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